The Lagos State Government has advocated that the 1999 constitution be reviewed to recognize the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) created to boost grassroots development as Local Governments, saying this will strengthen governance and improve service delivery statewide.
It added that the enlisting of the 37 LCDAs to become legally identified would deepen local governance and improve public service delivery across the state.
Speaking on the initiative, the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, made the disclosure yesterday during “the Zonal Public Hearing on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.”
Sanwo-Olu stated that the Lagos State Government is formally requesting the inclusion of its 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the constitutional framework, urging active support for their recognition through the ongoing constitutional review process.
He noted that the LCDAs were established in 2003 over 22 years ago with the primary goal of bringing governance closer to the people and delivering the dividends of democracy at the grassroots level.
“These are children that have been given birth to,” he stated. “They have been nurtured and they have grown”
“It would be unfair for the nation to not give them the Birth Certificate. It is only fair, if we talk about fairness and equity, if we go by the 2006 census, which Lagos State disputed, but let’s forget it.”
The governor emphasized the need for constitutional recognition of Lagos State’s 37 Local Council Development Areas by drawing attention to the population in Alimosho Local Government.
Citing figures from the National Population Commission (NPC), Sanwo-Olu asserted that, as of the 2006 census, Alimosho Local Government Area alone had a population of 1.38 million people, a figure nearly equal to the entire population of Bayelsa State, which stood at around 1.7 million at the time.
He further pointed out that Kano State currently has 44 local governments, and following the creation of Jigawa State on August 27, 1991, an additional 27 local governments were established for the newly formed state.
“If our Mathematics is correct, that means 71 local governments. It is only fair that our state is recognised and all the local governments are listed”
“So we request this body to sign off on that fairness, equity, and justice,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu highlighted the need for broader reforms, calling on the electoral and judicial systems to play a more active role in strengthening Nigeria’s democratic framework.
He underscored the importance of increasing the participation of women and youth in the political process, as well as prioritizing the security and welfare of citizens particularly through the ongoing national conversation around the introduction of state policing.
Sanwo-Olu spotted the need for broader reforms, calling on the electoral and judicial systems to play a more active role in strengthening Nigeria’s democratic framework.
Earlier, the Zonal Chairman for the stakeholders committee on constitutional reform, Michael Bamidele, stated that the panel had invited memoranda and proposals from Nigerians on potential constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening good governance and promoting the welfare of all citizens grounded in the principles of freedom, equality, and justice.
He expressed satisfaction with the volume of public engagement, noting that the Committee had received hundreds of submissions addressing long-standing issues that previous amendments failed to resolve, largely due to the absence of national consensus and the evolving nature of modern governance.
According to him, several critical areas remain on the table, including electoral reforms and adjudication, judicial reforms focused on case management and efficiency, improvements in local government administration, the integration of traditional institutions into contemporary governance, the promotion of human rights, gender equity and inclusion in leadership, devolution and distribution of powers, restructuring of the Federation, and pressing security and policy concerns.
“We have carefully reviewed and transmitted our memoranda interviews, which we now present to you for further input and discussion.”
“We encourage you to share your insights and contributions at this hearing with an open mind.
“The Committee is committed to considering all viewpoints and perspectives, particularly those of individuals who may be unable to travel to Abuja to express their opinions.” Bamidele stated.
